Iced tea, an American invention more than 100 years old, is new again.
Look around. Everyone is swilling the beverage.
That broader market has led to a 12 percent increase in iced-tea sales at fast-food and casual-dining operations since 2001, comparable to increases in coffee sales, according to the NPD Group, a consumer research group based in Port Washington, N.Y.
With that demand, iced tea - both brewed and instant - also is being transformed with trendy, unusual offerings. "We love to try new things, particularly new things we already know," said Harry Balzer, vice president of the NPD Group.
Today's iced tea may come spiked with pomegranate, blackberry sage, passion fruit or other flavors. Even the long-established Lipton brand has come up with recipes for exotic iced-tea drinks such as double fruity raspberry slush, lemon drop mar-tea-ni with vodka and Grand Marnier, and sangria tea sparkler with grape and orange juice.
Restaurants of all kinds are upgrading to freshly brewed or flavored teas.
McDonald's has long sold unsweetened tea, but now it is introducing sweet tea, a Southern specialty. Some of the fast-food chain's outlets also are selling bottled green tea from Lipton.
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants feature the Arnold Palmer - a mix of freshly brewed iced tea and hand-squeezed lemonade.
Longtime tea lovers are hoping the consumer interest leads to better-tasting tea in a variety of outlets, the way Starbucks brought coffee to a new level.
Tea sales, as well as coffee and soda, are especially increasing at breakfast as more Americans start their day with caffeine, according to the NPD Group.
"Iced tea has fared well with little marketing attention from restaurant operators," said Bonnie Riggs, restaurant analyst with the NPD Group.
"What might the potential be if efforts were made to tout the perceived health benefits - antioxidant/cancer fighter, its interesting flavor potential - blueberry, mango, etc., and its perceived calming properties for today's stressed-out consumers, while still being cool and refreshing?"